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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28263087">Fairytales of Denmark Street</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbeshalftail3469/pseuds/hobbeshalftail3469'>hobbeshalftail3469</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith, Strike (TV 2017)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cormoran has resolve of steel, F/M, Finally leaving Denmark Street, Full Circle, I wonder if she might have heard that?, I wonder!!!???, Robin's been for a drink, Whimsical link to a video, Why the hell did she show up?, charlotte - Freeform, morning after fluff, oh yeah, they are gonna go there, you know what you asked for!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:29:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,705</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28263087</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hobbeshalftail3469/pseuds/hobbeshalftail3469</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sekrit Santa...ho, ho, ho etc<br/>Based on some of the ideas and suggestions you requested...and I'm sorry it grew (it's me...of course it did!!)<br/>Cormoran receives an unwanted visitor on the evening before leaving Denmark Street - it is reminiscent of the first time he met Robin......</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Denmark Street Discord Sekrit Santa 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Shall I punch her?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/CVH14/gifts">CVH14</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I know you wanted Robin to punch her......</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“What the fuck are you doing here Charlotte? As you can see, I am pretty busy,” Strike’s shirt was sweat soaked and clinging to his back, large dark patches had long since formed under his arms as he wrestled with emptying and sorting through his limited possessions.</p><p>The time and lease had finally run out on Denmark Street and his relatively easy commute of a single flight of stairs was going to be increased to include a whole road and pavement - they’d found a cheap office base fairly easily and having got friendly with the decorators who had been involved changing the interior from a ‘zen garden’ affair (the previous business had been a facial and shoulder massage type place) into a more neutral pale blue and grey colour scheme, he’d managed to rent a small, basic and perfectly suited to his needs flat in the same road, just opposite and a few doors along.<br/>
He’d been pleased with the fact that there was a pub on the corner - and it didn’t appear to be a ‘wanky one’ - and also a couple of take aways plus the ubiquitous betting shop, hair dressing salon and a late night ‘everything’ shop, which stocked cigarettes, beer and chocolate.<br/>
It was midway between the old offices and the Tottenham, so thankfully that could remain his and Robin’s ‘local’ - their Friday, and more recently sometimes Tuesday, or Thursday, or even Saturday evenings spent there were a part of his week that he very much enjoyed.</p><p>He’d been thinking about his work partner and best mate as he’d sorted through one of his clothing drawers - a couple of weekly swimming sessions, combined with cutting back (a little) on pints of Doom Bar meant that some of his stuff was now too big for him and he was using the opportunity of moving to get rid of stuff he no longer wanted in his life.<br/>
Therefore the appearance of Charlotte at his bedroom door had been very much a shock, and a rather wearisome touch of irony.</p><p>She looked slim, in fact she looked thin, almost gaunt in her face.<br/>
The defined cheekbones which he had once been so fond of and attracted to now seemed angular, almost sharp and aggressive.<br/>
He couldn’t help but compare her dark, pale, well groomed and careful appearance to that of Robin.<br/>
She’d left the office the previous evening, covered in cobwebs and bits of flaking paint having insisted on going over the heating vents with a duster!<br/>
He hadn’t been able to resist wiping a smudge of brown dust from her nose with the pad of his thumb...he’d noticed slightly later that the subtle scent of some facial product had lingered there and it had made him smile as he settled back for his final night sleeping under the eves in his tatty little attic flat.</p><p>He regarded Charlotte now.</p><p>Her eyes flicked around the space with a slight frisson of distaste and arousal….Christ, he could still read her so well - she was an open book to him, and he briefly considered that Robin’s more reserved and harder to read persona was now infinitely more interesting to his naturally inquisitive mind.</p><p>“You’ve changed your phone number….and everytime I left a message for you to contact me with someone in your office...well, you either ignored it or you employ idiots!” she pierced him with those violet eyes.<br/>
There was a time when he’d have had to battle with all manner of inner emotions and feelings. But on this occasion he felt no such tremors.</p><p>“Well, clearly, given the fact that I’m moving the business into larger premises for the new year would imply that I employ rather efficient staff….so make the connection Charlotte; you’re not stupid!” he quipped. </p><p>Standing facing her he realised he was holding an old shirt, one which he recalled she’d possibly bought him, and with a symbolism fully intended he tossed it, without looking, into the open bin liner almost at her feet.</p><p>“But….you can’t lose me Bluey…….I’ll always be part of you, 16 years…...it can’t just disappear….and you know I still love you Bluey!” her voice was, he assumed, what she thought was wracked with emotion and intended to make his heart flutter and his feelings waver.</p><p>However it only sought to make him feel rather nauseous.</p><p>“You can be as much in love with whoever the fuck Bluey is as you like….but nobody calls me that…..that’s not who I am Charlotte. So you can keep your memories but that’s all they’ll be. Nothing new is going to happen between us, and unless you need my professional services, by which you know I mean the agency and NOTHING more….honestly, I can’t see why you’re here!” he had raised his palm and then index finger as her eyebrows smirked at his choice of phrase.<br/>
She was venturing to remove the distance between them by moving further into the tight space, but Cormoran used it as an opportunity to pass through the door she had now vacated.<br/>
It felt less potentially explosive to have an interaction with Charlotte away from the proximity of a bed.</p><p>“But Bluey...I mean, Cormoran….please. You don’t know how much I need you,” she stated, his back turned from her as he purposefully shifted a pile of vinyl LPs into a cardboard box, carefully stacking books on the top, although he wrinkled his nose at the presence of a couple and rather than add them to the box placed them aside.</p><p>She didn’t say anything further, and he became slightly uncomfortable with the silence between them.<br/>
He turned around, opening his mouth to tell her to “Just leave” but let out a strangled groan.<br/>
She was standing in the doorframe of his bedroom, naked except for her high, black stilettos with red soles, her navy trench coat pooled at her feet.<br/>
His mind was cast back to that almost mythical night when she’d brought him a mug of coffee completely naked…..but that was a lifetime ago.</p><p>“I know that sound Bluey…..that’s the sound of a man who wants this,” and she trailed her fingertips along the taut skin at her chest, across one of her nipples, bringing it to rest at her neatly trimmed, almost non existent thatch between her thighs.</p><p>Strike inhaled deeply, “No, Charlotte. That was actually the sound of a man who is bored of this,” and he waved his palm vaguely in the direction of her naked, and still stunningly slender, toned and feminine body, “And if you’re thinking back to make me reminisce, the last time you brought me a hot drink…..on this occasion I’d be more interested in that...although I prefer tea to coffee….and you’d never make it the way I drink it anyway!”<br/>
He smiled smugly considering that Robin was the only person, other than his uncle Ted, who made him a seriously decent cup of tea.</p><p>Charlotte’s face reflected an unattractive narrow eyed glare, but she strode across to him, the scent of her signature perfume infiltrated his nostrils and began to work on his deeply held olfactory responses.<br/>
But he wouldn’t be swayed….not this time.<br/>
There was too much for him to lose now; his dignity; his feeling of self worth; his self control, which he had mastered in so many ways in the past year; and Robin…..and although there wasn’t a sexual thing there yet…..there was, every day the possibility of one.</p><p>“And I suppose your little secretary does, does she? Well, tea’s probably the only thing she’s good at darling….and we both know you need a lot more than  tea….you must be strung really tight right now…..and I’m here….the bed’s right there….or maybe you’d prefer the table, or against the wall, or door….you decide,” Charlotte was writhing in front of him, trailing ruby tipped talons up and down his chest, deeply inhaling what he knew would be a slightly musky, masculine version of his natural scent - he’d not showered since the previous evening knowing that he’d get filthy doing more packing.</p><p>“I’m going downstairs,” he stated bluntly and angled himself past her nakedness, avoiding any part of his front coming into contact with her, but having to lean painfully onto his partial leg to do so….which of course she would know.</p><p>Charlotte listened to the uneven thump of his one boot, one sock tread on the stairs.<br/>
She considered her options.<br/>
She had been so sure, so certain that he’d fall back under her spell.<br/>
She’d always known he was hedonistic…..the way to winning him back in the past had always been in bed and her pale skin, long limbs and a squirt or two of her exotic perfume had always been a winning trifecta in luring him there.</p><p>She scooped up the discarded trench coat and hastily descended the stairs, following the sound of thumping and muffled grunts into the larger office which she knew was his - although the appearance of a second desk adjacent to his familiar dark wooden one was slightly alarming.<br/>
There was also a much more feminine aroma present lingering above the familiar tobacco and general ‘Solid Strike Man’ scent.</p><p>“Is that what it is? The little, chubby red head? Have you decided to slum it darling? Well you can have quality again sweetie…...all of this…..you can have it,” she purred, leaning her naked hips against the side of his desk and drawing up one of her spiky heeled feet to nudge against his buttocks.</p><p>Strike remained facing away from her, he could smell her arousal and hear a rhythmical squeaking from the desk. Christ she was really pulling out all the stops, but the comments about Robin irked him.<br/>
He knew Robin wasn’t a prima donna in relation to her appearance, but Charlotte’s comments were firstly, bitchy as fuck, but secondly, in his honest opinion, wrong.</p><p>“Charlotte, I don’t want it from you…..I don’t want anything from you, or involving you, or with you again. What do I have to do or say to make your see this? My feelings for Robin have absolutely nothing to do with how I view you Charlotte,” he inhaled deeply before turning to face her, knowing that he needed to focus his eyes on hers rather than acknowledge anything else she was displaying for him.</p><p>As he turned she splayed her thighs and pouted.<br/>
His resolution however remained solid, and he maintained his eyes on her forehead, not willing to be drawn back in, not fully trusting himself not to, but assured enough on this occasion to know that he wouldn’t completely cave.</p><p>“Charlotte, I can’t stop you from finding out my work phone number, my work offices - Christ I have to advertise! - but I changed my phone and didn’t keep your number Charlotte, and I don’t intend to share that private number with you again,” he remained staring steadfastly at her forehead.</p><p>“But Bluey you don’t return my calls to the office. Someone called Pat keeps giving me the brush off….and if I wanted someone to investigate for me I’d want you Bluey….you’re the best!” she dipped her head and peered up at him - presumably to appear more vulnerable, but clearly forgetting that he disliked short women and having to bend down awkwardly!</p><p>“Actually I’m not….Robin’s better than me on most things now,” his smirking face belied the fact that he was being truthful - annoyingly she was even starting to beat him at the sodding crossword! “And Pat is very efficient - she has this uncanny knack of only passing on legitimate requests for help. Anything else, or do you just want to pick up your coat and leave now?”</p><p>“You’re seriously throwing me out?” she asked, astonishment evident in her expression, and now in her body language.<br/>
Her taut, elegantly arranged limbs were now slumped in a rather unflattering, spidery spread; goosepimples had formed on most of her skin and her face had a familiar angular ugliness to it.</p><p>“Charlotte, there is no reason for you to be here, I’m busy…..we’re moving offices, I’m moving into a new flat and I’ve got stuff to do...none of my plans this evening or in the future involve you,” he raised his eyebrows and pursed his lips in that ‘don’t argue and take the piss’ manner he had that was incredibly effective with most people.</p><p>“You bastard!” she shrieked, “You’re unbelievable….you ignore me and MAKE me have to go to these lengths, and then you throw me out after I’ve bared myself to you!”</p><p>Strike’s eyes blew wide with incredulity, “WHAT THE FUCK? YOU came here dressed like that! At no point have I invited you to strip off for my entertainment and I’ve tried to keep my eyes averted at all times. I was the one who told you to put your coat back on, and I’ve asked you repeatedly to leave…..so LEAVE!”</p><p>She glanced quickly around the space. Her eyes locked onto an open box partially filled with knick-knacks: mugs, staplers, little pots of paper clips and bulldog clasps.<br/>
She swiped across and flung it from the desk next to her, scattering the contents across the floor and causing the two mugs sat on the top to shatter.<br/>
The noise sounded impossibly loud in the space and acted as a natural fracture point to the interaction.</p><p>Strike said nothing more, his face reflected fury, but he gripped his hands into fists and remained static, willing Charlotte to simply fuck off.<br/>
She flickered her eyes away from his seemingly unmoved expression before grabbing then coat and roughly dragging her arms through the sleeves,<br/>
“Fucking have her then!” she shouted, “Have your little workplace secretary fantasy with the slut!” and she flounced out.</p><p>Strike let out an animalistic roar, banging both palms on the desk she had vacated before striding to the main door hearing her clattering heels on the metal staircase.<br/>
He’d bitten his tongue long enough, and seeing the broken I Love Cornwall mug together with Robin’s favourite pale grey swirly patterned mug shattered at Charlotte’s careless, or wilful anger had finished him.<br/>
“SHE’S NOT MY SECRETARY, SHE’S MY PARTNER…...AND IF SHE WAS A SLUT I’D HAVE ALREADY FUCKED HER INSTEAD OF JUST WISHING I HAD ON A DAILY BASIS!”</p><p>He breathed deeply and steadied his pounding heart.<br/>
He probably shouldn’t have said any of that outloud…..but he’d known she had left probably long before she heard it….and it felt decidedly better to have vocalised his anger.</p><p>He glanced around at the general scene of chaos.<br/>
It wasn’t dissimilar to the day that she’d stormed out and he’d followed only to be stopped literally in his tracks by the appearance of Robin Ellacott.</p><p>Tutting and with an audible groan he picked up a few of the larger pieces of their broken mugs.<br/>
They’d used them and left them handy for last minute brews….she’d bought him the replacement Cornwall mug after the handle had caught on the tap when he was washing his original one….and then he’d bought her the grey one after she’d admired a similar one that Ilsa and Nick owned.<br/>
He was absorbed in thought and therefore jumped a little when he heard a voice behind him.</p><p>“Oh my God! What have you been doing? I only left here a few hours ago and it actually looked better then than it does now!”</p><p>“Robin! I didn’t think you were coming back!” he stated honestly, “Nice headband!” he smirked and nodded towards the fluffy white and silver jiggling confection adorning her amber-gold hair.<br/>
He sighed whimsically and considered that apart from her black trousers and puffa jacket she could have passed for a fairy off a tree!</p><p>She giggled and absently moved to remove the ridiculous headgear she’d honestly forgot she was wearing. Meeting up with Vanessa in the pub had turned into a somewhat impromptu get together involving some of their police contacts.</p><p>“Don’t take it off!” he whinged. “Suits you!”</p><p>She giggled, the effects of a couple of glasses too many on top of a couple of glasses of wine had inspired her to go back to the office rather than home.<br/>
She idly fingered the fronds of sparkly stars waggling above her head, “It suited Wardle even better in the pub!” and she snorted as Strike giggled along with her. “What the hell happened here? Was that Charlotte I saw leaving?”</p><p>Strike nodded ruefully, pouting his lips and thankful that she’d arrived a few minutes after his rather rash outburst!</p><p>“Yep! Came back, caused chaos and hopefully fucked off again!” he indicated the mess, “I’m sorry. She’s broke your mug...and mine!”<br/>
He tutted and stuck his lower lip out rather tragically.</p><p>Robin rested her hips back against the desk beside him and sniffed, “Do you want me to hunt her down and beat the living crap out of her for breaking our mugs?” she wrinkled her lips semi playfully and regarded him through the pools of grey-blue he’d grown to completely adore.</p><p>He snorted, his body creating vibrations through the table, “I have no doubt that you would….but maybe not….they’re just mugs,” and he did that cheek clicking thing she found adorable.</p><p>It was Robin’s turn to tut, she also gave his backside a nudge with her own, “You sure? Not just one, really decent punch in the face? Would be really satisfying!”</p><p>“Go on then!” he joked and thrust out his hand to pull her back as she made to hasten out to locate and knock out Charlotte’s lights! “NO! Don’t!....Don’t bother!”</p><p>Robin liked the grip of his fingers at her wrist; they were just the right level of firm to be pleasurably masculine, but without feeling aggressive or creepy.<br/>
He was looking at her with his gorgeously crinkled green eyes, the alluring dimness of the office only illuminated by the light filtering down from his flat above.</p><p>Feeling emboldened and a little frustrated she inhaled and opened and closed her mouth, swallowing before she finally spoke, “Why shouldn’t I go and hit her? Is it because you still love her….you don’t want her to get hurt?”</p><p>She felt his shoulders slump a little beside her and then felt his hand move to cover hers on the edge of the desk, “That’s not it at all…I’m just happy you came back, and...I’d rather you stayed here…..with me.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. You heard that then!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>OK, so this entire chapter is a moment of complete whimsy.<br/>You MUST multi-task and have on the video to the Pogues and Kirsty MacColl singing Fairytale of New York - that whole dark, smoky vibe with those little ears on that headband all feature (sort of!)</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I think I might have included one of your fave lines from the fics!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They allowed themselves a few moments perching side by side, his large hand stroking softly across her fingers before he spoke and broke the almost magical calmness which had blanketed the scene of carnage around them.<br/>“I suppose I’d better find the brush!” Robin sighed, although Strike was pleased to note that she made no instant move to act upon her statement. Instead she gave a soft snort, “Not too dissimilar to the first time I met you….all those days and weeks and months...and years ago now!”</p><p>At this point she did move away from him and went towards the door leading into the outer office and their small kitchenette.<br/>Most of the office stuff was already packed away but she knew the dustpan and brush was near the top of a box because she’d used it to remove about 10 years worth of cobwebs and flaking paint from the corners of the rooms earlier on.<br/>From down on the ground floor the guitar shop staff party had moved onto the less raucous part of the evening and the dulcet, instantly identifiable opening bars of The Pogues and A Fairytale of New York filtered up the stairwell and provided a suitable atmospheric soundtrack.<br/>Strike lurched slightly unsteadily after her. His leg was protesting at the bending, crawling around and stretching which had been involved in packing up the office and also most of his own flat and personal belongings.</p><p>“I suppose the actual mess is pretty similar,” he cricked his neck back towards the scattered chaos in their office, “But there is one very crucial difference this time!”</p><p>Robin had located the small, plastic brush and she regarded him levelly, flashing him the universal, wordless expression that said, ‘continue...’</p><p>“That first time, when you appeared as if by magic…” at which point she interrupted him,<br/>“....and you almost killed me!” she grinned, using the dustpan as a pointing device.</p><p>“...yep, when I almost killed you, but didn’t!” he returned her soft smirk, “On that rather memorable occasion I came thundering out of the door to follow her….Charlotte….I was going to most likely say I was sorry and start all the shit off again.”</p><p>He saw Robin inhale deeply, “And I suppose the fact that you almost killed me changed that did it?”</p><p>Strike smiled ruefully, “A lot of things changed because of that single moment in time, Robin.”</p><p>She wrinkled her nose at him, “You’re not kidding!” and she moved past him towards the shared office in order to tackle the mess.<br/>Cormoran watched as she flicked her hair to one side, the sweet, fluffy tiara thing still perched on her head, and crouched to start flicking the random collection of clips, pins, staples and pieces of broken crockery into a small pile.</p><p>She started to speak, sensing his presence, but kept her focus on the flooring.<br/>“I mean, on the one hand I got a job but on the other hand I lost my husband.”</p><p>Strike’s brow furrowed at her comment. <br/>He knew that there had been additional pressure caused by her accepting the job which Matthew firmly felt was beneath her abilities - or more accurately her pay grade! But she’d never openly blamed him for it….and more importantly, he thought, he’d never actually blamed himself.</p><p>“Sorry about that,” he stated, he hoped his tone was light, but Robin noted an element of real sadness behind it.</p><p>“It’s OK…...there are some things I’m not sorry about losing, and he’s one of them. Plus, as well as a job I got a best mate didn’t I?” and she paused in her sweeping to glance up at him.</p><p>“Christ Robin…..best mates...yeah,” he sighed and couldn’t prevent his heart lurching in his chest at the sight of her, “Robin….I try very hard not to give names to what I feel for you…..because…..I already know it’s too much.” He groaned softly and moved across to flop heavily into his twizzling desk chair.</p><p>Robin remained crouched, following him with her eyes, peering up at the dimly lit, swarthy features of the man she had come to regard as so much more than a work colleague.<br/>Kirsty McColl’s bell-like voice was drifting into the otherwise quiet office space as the upbeat section of the song kicked in from 2 flights down.<br/>She briefly flicked her focus back towards the small brush and worked on transferring the pile of detritus into the dustpan.</p><p>“Too much…..how?” she asked, before flashing the swirling and cautious pools of grey-blue across to meet his rather bewildered but twinkling green, crinkle sided gaze.<br/>He slumped forwards and rested his crossed forearms on the desk, which seemed enormous now that it was free of it’s usual piles of carefully arranged chaos.</p><p>“Just too much,” he wrinkled and pursed his lips beneath his facial hair and exhaled loudly before grasping for his cigarettes and lighting one up.</p><p>Robin paused in her focused intention of cleaning up the madness surrounding them both - it felt like a rather apt metaphor and she suddenly realised that maybe a little bit of chaos was good every now and then…...it often brought about something good.<br/>So she left the items on the floor and moved across to the opposite side of the desk. <br/>She placed her hands on the edge of the slightly gnarled surface and gazed down at his slumped broad shoulders and disastrous curls. The smoke from his cigarette created a natural ‘soft focus effect’ on his features as he glanced up and exhaled more smoke through his nostrils.</p><p>Time to bring a bit of her own chaos rather than deal with the shit Charlotte brought.</p><p>“Too much as in wishing you were fucking me on a daily basis?” she stated, pouting her lips and raising her eyebrow seductively as she saw mortification briefly flash behind his eyes, followed by a pleasing curtain of ‘Fuck it, what have I got to lose?’</p><p>He wrinkled his nose and lips, nodding sagely, “You heard that then!” more of a statement than a question as he bit down on his lower lip and maintained eye contact with her.</p><p>There was no sign that she was embarrassed, no sign that she was about to call him out and claim sexual harassment in the workplace, no sign that her reaction to his outburst was in line with her reaction to Morris and the arsehole’s dick pic fiasco….infact, this reaction was rather pleasing.<br/>She was swaying lightly in time with the Pogues as the pair of harmonious voices called each other all manner of names and prayed for it to be their last.</p><p>Shit, he really, really didn’t want this to be his last Christmas with Robin!<br/>Although it was going to be their last at Denmark Street….this place that had cemented them together with a bruising clatter of their bodies.</p><p>The lyrics of the song were familiar to him, and he considered the mournful ‘Can’t make it all alone, I’ve built my dreams around you.’<br/>She wasn’t running away…..infact she’d heard him shouting his somewhat hastily formed response and come up the stairs to the office….to him!</p><p>The silence between them had gone on just a fraction too long, and he could now see a slight blush forming on her neck, creeping up to her cheeks.</p><p>“I was rather angry…...with what Charlotte had said…..that was probably a little bit inappropriate?” he purposefully raised his timbre at the end of the statement - I mean, was it? Did Robin consider it inappropriate? </p><p>Robin’s mind was whirling - a little bit because of the wine she’d drunk with Vanessa, but a little bit because she was feeling reckless….it was a flippy feeling in her belly, a little like swallowing popping candy.</p><p>“I think the question I’m most wondering is not whether it was inappropriate, but whether it was inaccurate?” and she hitched her arse up onto the edge of the desk, noticing that his eyes flicked briefly to appreciate the curve of her tight, black cigarette pants.</p><p>The music down at the guitar shop had melted into Elvis’ version of Blue Christmas, it was one of the only festive songs that Strike actually admitted to quite liking.<br/>He stabbed out the filter of his cigarette and pushed himself to stand up, palms resting on the table and toying with his lip again with his teeth.</p><p>She was meeting his gaze.<br/>She was sitting there….no, no, not sitting ….perching…..perching all sexily and like an amber haired goddess on the edge of his desk.</p><p>Fuck it!</p><p>Fuck it all to hell and back.</p><p>This was their last evening in this office….Charlotte had created a sort of inevitable circle of closure to the place…...closure for his relationship and feelings for her, but opening up all manner of possibilities for the future if he was willing to take the risk.</p><p>He cleared his throat, sounding like a growling rumble in the deserted office space, “Ellacott there are two things you need to know about me…”</p><p>She cut him off with a raised finger and a smirking grin, “You mean the fact that you have an amazing metabolism that lets you eat what you want and remain pencil thin and that you never get hangovers? Hmmmm, think I know that both of those are bollocks!”</p><p>His shoulders shook with a chuckle at her memory, “....alright, a further 2 things you need to know about me,” and he leaned his face slightly further towards hers, looking up at her slightly from under his dark lashes, “Firstly, I frequently use rather vulgar word choices to express myself, and secondly…...that I am fucking crazy about you Ellacott.”<br/>His eyes had done that crinkling delicious thing they did when he was being serious and slightly embarrassed.</p><p>Robin tried unsuccessfully to prevent the happiness that was now rendering her stomach to feel like a washing machine on final spin from seeping out across her face. <br/>The slight flush to Cormoran’s cheeks which at this close range she could see even beneath his dark facial bristles helped her to realise how vulnerable he felt about this declaration - despite it’s blunt and candid delivery.</p><p>Faced with his own bravery despite evident doubt she decided to embrace the moment.<br/>“So, based on that first admission….which is clearly true, because you are a ridculously sweary bugger….I can only assume that your second statement is equally accurate,” and she nodded as he adopted a mock guilty, puppy-dog eyed expression. “Sooooooo, what do we do?”</p><p>Strike shrugged and smirked, “I can think of a few things…..d’you want me to email you….my laptop’s upstairs though,” and he waited, silent and non committal, but eyes twinkling.</p><p>Upstairs.<br/>Hmmmm, there was a lot more available upstairs as well as his bloody laptop she considered.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Festive Smut....as requested!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The inevitable.....but following some interesting chats and image prompts I decided that maybe Robin likes it a little different to how I usually write a first time....</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>...it's long!!!!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>In the end it was with an almost embarrassing inevitability that they dragged each other close and crushed their lips together.<br/>It was Robin who tasted slightly of alcohol, Strike’s breath was tinged with the tobacco tang from his extinguished evening cigarettes.<br/>His hand carding through the hair hanging down her back and resting to cup and manipulate her neck was the perfect degree of pressure to render Robin pliant in his arms.<br/>Her small nails gripping into his bicep and shoulder was the fire that inflamed him as he opened his mouth to hers and stroked his tongue against hers.</p><p>He delighted in the small whimpers of delight that emanated from her as he licked into her mouth, panting exhaled air between them and creating a heady lack of oxygen.<br/>Robin’s hands were everywhere, swarming across the fabric of his shirt, down his backside and cupping his gloriously muscular arse.<br/>The knowledge that he was officially, properly attracted to her in a non-best mates kind of manner - as heard in his ranting outburst when she was entering the building just after seeing Charlotte leave, combined with the mix of alcohol in her system from earlier in the evening….plus the knowledge that this would be their final ever night in these offices somehow made the fact that her burly, hirsute work colleague’s tongue was trailing down her neck seem rather appropriate and dare she think it, meant to be?</p><p>It was with a significant dollop of will power, made even more necessary as Strike gave a boyishly petulant pout and moan, that she pressed him away from her and hushed his heavily panting mouth and it’s persistent desire to make contact with her.</p><p>“Don’t…..please don’t regret this,” he whispered huskily, grasping her wrist and sucking on each finger tip, making eye contact with her.</p><p>Jesus his eyes were seductive - an additional level of gusset moistening pheromones dumped themselves unceremoniously into her knickers and she tossed aside the tiny speck of doubt that was lingering in the back of her mind.</p><p>“Take me upstairs….and I don’t mean to carry on with the fucking packing,” she stated, clutching at his cheeks, almost growling at the feel of his stubbled facial hair against her palms as their mouths met again in messy, wet, open mouthed seeking of bliss.<br/>He walked her towards the door, not willing to part their lips as they began to make their way, like a pair of inappropriately conjoined twins, up the steep, wooden staircase.</p><p>After losing her footing for the fourth or fifth time, having only climbed about a third of the steps, Robin took charge.<br/>She grasped Strikes hands, which appeared to be enjoying squeezing and almost roughly manipulating her backside as she tried to climb backwards up the stairs and pulled her face away from his.<br/>He stared, glassy eyed with lust, at her reddened lips and chin, knowing that his beard was responsible.<br/>Much as he was fully on board with the idea of bedding Robin, and was primed and ready to blow, so to speak, he’d also understand if Robin had any second, or third thoughts. <br/>This had to be at her pace.</p><p>“D’you wanna stop?” he panted.</p><p>“No!” she almost shrieked, “I want to get upstairs without fucking dying though…..no way am I gonna get this close to getting laid by you only to have to go to A&amp;E!”<br/>With a hastily expelled gust of relief and amusement Strike allowed himself to follow her swaying arse into his flat where to his joy and delight she wasted no time in heading into his bedroom.</p><p>Glancing around Robin ignored the fact that partially packed boxes and bags were scattered around - thankfully the bed was relatively clear.<br/>“You’re definitely sure about this?” he asked, slightly pre-empting her response by starting to unfasten his shirt buttons, revealing an alarmingly masculine amount of dark, lush chest hair and a waft of fresh sweat undercut with cigarette smoke and a dash of deodorant.<br/>Robin nodded and threw off her down filled jacket before dipping to unzip and toe off her heeled boots.</p><p>“Bed?” he asked, flicking his eyes towards the main piece of furniture in the small, slanted ceiling'd room. <br/>He vaguely realised that the sheets hadn’t been changed all week, and he’d decided not to bother just before leaving - the bed was staying put and he’d invested in a new one for his new flat.<br/>He dimly registered that this could all go to cock tomorrow for them both, but if they tumbled about and pressed naked flesh tonight there would be no potential odd locational reminders for either of them - he was leaving his flat, they were leaving the offices tomorrow. <br/>This was a night for leaving caution at the door and embracing fantasy.</p><p>Robin sniggered a little - his statement had been phrased almost as a question. “Erm….what’s the alternative? Unless you fancy a kinky, up against the wall affair?” she felt significantly calmer and more in control thank she’d imagined as she toyed with the fastening of her smart black pants and stifled a whimper as Strike shook his head, gave a guttural grunt of, “N’uh, huh,” and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her to stand between his widely ‘man spread’ thighs.<br/>“My job,” he hissed, his eyes peering up at hers, dark, dilated beads of swampy green in the dim light. </p><p>His hands quickly flipped open the button at her waist and tugged down the zip, “Turn,” he instructed, a calm authority in his tone that caused her nipples to harden beneath her bra.<br/>She moved around to face away from him, loving that his hands raked firmly and possessively across her hips and thighs. </p><p>“Now look back at me,” he stated, and waited until her eyes found his before he expertly slid his hand down the front opening of her trousers, under her knickers and gasped along with her as he found how soaked she was.<br/>Robin bit down on her lower lip, her eyelids fluttering closed as his thick, strong fingers worked against her core and appreciatively transferred her slickness from her opening to her clit.</p><p>“Fucking hell Ellacott,” he hissed, she noticed smuggly that his eyes glazed a little as she whisked her slouchy necked top over her head and arched slightly, flashing him the curve of her breasts in their dark wine coloured lace bra.<br/>With a further growl and unmistakably masculine giggle he removed his hand and slid both thumbs around the waist of her black cigarette pants, pulling them sharply down her thighs and instantly repositioning his splayed palms one on each upper thigh, just beneath the delectable, almost lickable, peaches of her arse.</p><p>His thumbs were doing something almost indescribably filthy just beneath her knickers and without any further warning than a hissed, “Let me at you,” he almost tore down her knickers, pushed her forwards and delved his tongue along her soaked seam.</p><p>Robin let out a shocked and almost desperate moan.<br/>Jesus Christ! <br/>Where the fuck had that sensation been her whole adult life?</p><p>As she came to her senses she was slightly frustrated that he quickly spun her around, his face level with her neatly trimmed thatch.<br/>Wanting to encourage his ministrations further she tried, unsuccessfully to widen her legs and whimpered, reaching out her fingers and scraping through his hair.<br/>“I want you to do that again,” she hissed, tugging on his skull and feeling a degree of highly unfeminist female empowerment as he emitted a deep, throaty growl and closed his eyes, leaning into the pressure of her hands.</p><p>“My pleasure,” he snarled wolfishly and effortlessly flipped her around, laying her across the mattress.<br/>He used her brief moment of surprise to peel her trousers from her long legs and deposit them with her knickers on the floor. Humming with desire he trailed his palms along her soft skin.<br/>Robin became highly aware that she was naked apart from her bra and the stupid fluffy headband on her head which she now attempted to remove.</p><p>“Nope….that stays on,” Strike instructed, “But this….this comes off,” and he slid his hands under her back, unclasping her bra and almost reverently revealing her perfect, rose tipped breasts to his hungry gaze.<br/>He moved to nuzzle into her but was stopped abruptly by her hands on his shoulders and one of her legs, bent at the knee.</p><p>Christ, he was a fool…...he needed to be more mindful and emotionally aware of triggers for her.</p><p>“I’m sorry Robin…..I don’t want to do anything that you don’t…..” but he was halted in his stammering apology by a seductive snigger and a shake of those amber tresses.</p><p>“You’re not doing anything at all that I DON’T…..I just want to even up the nudity. Get your kit off Strike!” she stated, smiling and wrinkling her nose as he snarled and tore the open shirt from his back and sat back onto the bed in order to tackle his trousers, leg and footwear.</p><p>His mind and body were being fuelled by long overdue passion and attraction and an almost laughable period of abstinence from any form of sexual activity.<br/>He paused momentarily to seek out her gaze, which he thankfully found to be powerfully erotic and charged with the same intent he felt rushing through his own veins.<br/>He slipped down his boxer shorts and crawled around onto the bed beside her, carefully disguising his erection and instead allowing her to become used to the sight and feel of his naked, gnarled stump.</p><p>Robin cast her eyes down, he swallowed audibly and for the first time Robin was aware of how self conscious HE was about his leg. <br/>She needed to reassure him; she didn’t care a jot about his missing limb, other than to find it rather sexy that he was about to demonstrate just how mobile and agile he hopefully was without his metal pin weighing him down.</p><p>She pressed him onto his back and moved to kneel in the space formed from his calf and missing leg. She reached out and purposefully positioned both her hands, one on each thigh and moved them identically up and down the firm, twitching muscles, sliding her palms over the skin, inching further up and down the exposed skin each time.<br/>She dropped her chin and nuzzled her tongue against the hairy skin of his ankle and moved upwards in a mixture of soft kisses, teasing nibbles and sucks to reach his knee before flipping her head to the other side and licking out in the same manner against the less familiar feeling skin of his partial limb.</p><p>She felt him tense and move so that he was resting on his elbows and as he watched her, intently focused, carefully tracing patterns in the same manner across both of his limbs he began to relax and instead take pleasure in the sight of her honey gold hair splayed across his groin, the head of his ridiculously aroused cock peeping through the strands of amber.<br/>Robin was enjoying feeling Strike relax against her, she was also enjoying the different sensation between his hair covered thigh and the smoother, oddly landscaped flesh of his other limb. <br/>She located a couple of sensitively ticklish spots, and joined his sexy chuckles. <br/>She flicked her gaze up and tried to remain focused on his legs rather than the sight of his gloriously rigid cock.</p><p>Fuck it was impressive.<br/>Thick, smooth, perfectly ridged and right there in her line of vision.<br/>She’d always assumed, and hoped, he’d be in proportion to his overall size - his feet were massive, so were his hands and they always said…….well…... apparently his feet weren’t quite big enough!</p><p>She momentarily saw him watching her, and his smug little smirk gave away the fact that he’d definitely seen where her eyes were trained.<br/>“The fact that you’re enjoying licking that bodes very well, Ellacott!” he waggled his eyebrows suggestively towards her.</p><p>She sniggered and levered herself further up, placing one hand either side of his hairy and quite remarkably muscled torso and peered down.<br/>“I like licking all sorts of things,” and to his delighted surprise maintained eye contact with his darkly dilated gaze and licked her hot, wet tongue from the base to the tip of his length. <br/>With a blissful whimper she moved her hand to stroke around his shaft, pulling back his pliant foreskin and revealing his almost purple, leaking head. “Especially things as delicious as this,” and she teased the tip of her tongue around his slit before squeezing on his shaft and waiting for a bead of his pre-cum to form, lapping it up and launching herself up the bed to delve her tongue and the flavour of him into his waiting, gasping mouth.</p><p>“Fucking hell Ellacott,” he hissed, holding her neck firmly in place so that his words were muttered against her mouth. “Tell me this is really happening….tell me you want this as much as me…..that you want everything.”<br/>Robin was grinding her pussy against his erection and he knew that if she didn’t stop he’d lose all control of his almost non-existent equilibrium.</p><p>She bit down fairly hard on his lip to make him hiss in his breath and break their lip contact briefly.<br/>“Please tell me you haven’t packed your condoms already!” she purred and squealed as he flipped her over, growling into her ear.</p><p>“Thankfully not - although now my leg’s off you’ll have to get ‘em…..bathroom….cabinet…..fetch the box,” he hissed as she wrapped her legs around his waist and he felt her soaked cunt against his belly.</p><p>On slightly wobbly legs she made the thankfully short trip to the minute bathroom and returned with an already opened and partially used box of 12 condoms.<br/>She flashed him a mock stern expression as she fingered the remaining foil wrappers, counting softly.</p><p>“Hmmmmm!” she stated, holding them out of his reach, “You’ve already used some…..that means you’re not a virgin!” and she pouted, before shrieking as he captured her around the waist with powerful arms, clasping her close enough to be able to smell her arousal, tossing one of her calves over his shoulder and lifting her easily up so that his breath was hot against her tingling, dripping folds.</p><p>Before his mouth closed over her clit he spoke in the most deeply arousing rumble which vibrated through her core, “I’m definitely not a virgin…..and I definitely know what I’m doing…..and I’m gonna show you at least four different ways I can make you cum before tonight’s over….that OK, Ellacott?”</p><p>Her response was lost as her neck melted back. His tongue swirling expertly across her clit and between her slick coated lips was heaven.</p><p>Robin was delighted to discover that he was noisy; there was an almost caveman quality to his grunting passion as he licked and sucked on her exquisitely. <br/>Slotting one of his thick fingers deep within her caused her to match his volume, and she could feel him smiling against her as she called out his name in a stuttering verbal display of ecstasy.</p><p>Spent and floppy as a boneless foal Strike manoeuvred her gently to his side, stroking his hands across her skin, helping to ground her as he pressed soft kisses to her shoulder and fingers.<br/>“Ok?” he asked, she could tell he was smiling and that his eyes would have done that crinkled thing at the sides and she nodded by way of response.<br/>“Mind if I just indulge myself a bit,” he trailed his palm down to cup the rounded flesh of her backside and squeezed firmly.</p><p>Robin sniggered and rolled onto her belly. <br/>She was satiated for the time being, but he’d already told her she had at least 3 more of those orgasm things to look forward to!<br/>“Who knew that the great, one legged detective Cormoran Strike was an arse man?!” she giggled but swiftly bit her lip and pouted an ‘oooo’ as he crawled up onto his knees, gave her quite magnificent backside a swift slap with his flattened palm before coaxing her hips higher, creating a glorious arch to her back and enabling him to fully appreciate her peachy curves and slightly musky seam with his trailing tongue.</p><p>He didn’t linger long, not enough to make Robin wonder where his thoughts were heading - she definitely wasn’t ready for THAT on a first night together! - but as he slid one hand around to cup her sex and press his furred chest against her smooth back she realised he was playing for time; allowing her to recover….and as his fingers once more toyed with her she realised that the tingle was no longer hyper sensitive….and dear God that was his cock pressing against her thigh.</p><p>She reached her hand across to the open box and almost flung one of the wrapped condoms back towards him.<br/>“Has madam decided what she wants next then?” he asked, his voice pure gravel in her ear as she heard the ripple of the foil being torn. “You wanna turn over?”</p><p>To his surprise Robin twisted her neck around, her lower lip caught between her teeth and a darkly dilated glimmer to her storm-cloud eyes.<br/>“No….actually I don’t,” she smiled lasciviously at his expression, “What? Not what you were expecting?” she purred, enjoying catching him off guard, “Mr In Control and I’m Gonna Make You Cum wrong footed eh?”</p><p>He rolled his eyes and flexed his neck muscles slightly in a wolfishly sinister manner, but with mirth behind his eyes, “It’s dangerous to wrong foot me, Ellacott,” and hitched her hips higher with one hand gripping at her flesh.<br/>She gave her backside a teasingly slow wriggle and heard his huffing breath as he unrolled the rubber sheath over himself then slipped his fingers between her legs parting her lips.<br/>She felt him nudging the head of his cock against her entrance. She was so wet and ready for him.</p><p>He slowly pressed inside her and felt her tight walls rippling around him. <br/>Her breathy whimpers and stammered “Yes,” and “God, so good” statements combined with the sight of his darkly haired hips moving ever closer to the swell of her arse was making him desperate to fuck her properly…..not like a first time fuck…...like a desperate for some after a few pints and a day of being apart fuck….no preamble, no foreplay….just pounding, skin slapping fucking.<br/>But on this occasion no, he seriously did have to hold back….he’d promised her she’d cum at least 4 times!</p><p>He focused on the ridiculous fluffy headband across her hair and then on Robin’s hand which was clutching at his sheets. Removing his own right hand from her hips he covered hers and entwined his fingers with it, gasping as she squeezed hard and arched back, bucking back into his thrusts.<br/>They undulated together sharing the same air as he pressed himself against her writhing body. <br/>He kept his thrusts long and purposeful and enjoyed noting when he found a perfect, sweet spot within her. <br/>Her face displayed all her emotions and her mouth was perfectly, to his ears, X rated.</p><p>The position was really very forgiving for his balance and knees meaning that he could focus on their combined pleasure. <br/>The sight of her hair splayed across his pillows, and her shoulders, and her desperately sobbing lips was heaven and he devoured her mouth again and again.<br/>With a foul mouthed string of expletives Robin pressed herself up onto her elbows and pushed her backside back into Strike’s increased pace; his hips now pistonning against her arse. <br/>“Jesus Ellacott…..I need to cum….you there with me?” he grunted, biting down on her shoulder as he kept his cock driving into her.</p><p>She nodded and twisted her neck, her lips swollen and begging, gasping for air.<br/>“Kiss me,” she hissed and groaned sexily as Strike wound his hand through her hair, tugged her head back to meet his and plundered her mouth with his tongue as his cock decided enough was enough and he pulsed his copious release inside her.<br/>Robin swallowed his noisy groans and met them with rapturous shouts of her own, culminating in them both sharing and swapping the same lungful of expelled air several times before light headed oblivion took over and they collapsed onto the crumpled covers.</p><p>After several wordless, but definitely not silent minutes Strike rolled back and removed the condom from his softened cock, giving a snort of amusement at how full it was before deftly tying a knot and dropping it to the floor.<br/>Robin’s blissed out, giggling sprawl perfectly summed up his own feelings of euphoria.</p><p>They’d fucked!</p><p>They’d fucking, fucked….and it had been fucking magnificent!</p><p>“That alright? Wasn’t too….?” he trailed out his voice, unsure of what he wanted to vocalise.</p><p>Robin sighed happily, her marabou headband was skew whiff as buggery and it made him chuckle that they’d fucked whilst she was wearing it.<br/>He reached out and tugged it from her tangled hair and hooked it over the wooden bedframe.</p><p>“That was…..very…..,” her voice became a stupidly blabbering mumble and she rolled over onto her back.</p><p>He snarled in appreciation of her glorious breasts….he’d really not paid them half enough attention given how much he’d fantasised about them in the past.<br/>His chest was still heaving after their exertion, but a semblance of reality was drifting into his lust addled brain.</p><p>“That wasn’t exactly how I’d imagined it…...us, you know,” he murmured softly, his fingers stroking invisible patterns across her skin.</p><p>“You’ve….. imagined it before then?” she asked, her eyes wide and warm.</p><p>He nodded and smirked, “I wasn’t lying when I screamed at Charlotte earlier….I really have wanted to….well, do all that and more for so long.”</p><p>“Hmmmm! Well, it’s no wonder I’ve been the one keeping the business afloat with my amazing skills if you’ve been daydreaming about that!” she quipped, and stifled a small scream as Strike’s muscular arms wrestled her beneath him, her wrists pinned beside her shoulders by his large hands.</p><p>“Your skills? The skills that I taught you? Yeah?” he grinned, laughing along with her as she twisted her face to avoid his insistent lips.<br/>She relented and kissed him. <br/>There was a tenderness, a sweet intimacy between them - the sex had been amazing, and true and powerful and honest - but this kiss, this post coital kiss was a kiss between lovers who were best friends.</p><p>After an interlude of shared oral investigation they broke apart, both smiling with more than their lips and feeling quite implausibly relaxed despite being naked beside their work colleague and surrounded by partially filled packing boxes.<br/>“We haven’t got much packing done!” Strike stated, making no attempt to move and allowing his eyes to shamelessly rest on her breasts.</p><p>“Oh, I don’t know,” she smirked, running her hand down his hairy chest, tracing the line of dark hair below his belly button and seeing him wince slightly as she grazed the tip of his cock. “I definitely felt like something was packed in!”</p><p>They laughed together.<br/>Strike liked playful, saucy Robin.<br/>He liked the idea that this felt easy….this thing between them.<br/>It could very, very easily drift into a blissful sleep for him….that earlier promise he’d made might have been a bit optimistic!<br/>He watched as she yawned and wriggled, a scattering of goosebumps showing across her upper arm.<br/>A wave of affection washed over him, but if they got under the covers it implied her staying the night….which implied that this was potentially more than a single, badly thought out tumble.</p><p>“You cold?” he whispered.<br/>Robin nodded, she was, and the thought of curling up beside his massive body, radiating heat and masculine musk was incredibly tempting….and he had promised 4 ways of giving her pleasure…..he was only half way though!</p><p>She sniggered a little at the thought and found his questioning and mischievous gaze.<br/>“I was just thinking about that promise you gave me earlier….you know….four was it?”</p><p>He widened his eyes, “I said AT LEAST four actually,” and he nuzzled his lips against the salty skin at her neck, exhaling and making her shiver with the heat from his breath.</p><p>“Hmmmmm…..I’ve got a suggestion,” Robin murmured, not quite stifling a simply glorious little squeal as she felt Strike’s tongue toying with her earlobe. </p><p>“What’s that? I’m very open to your suggestions….as I think I’ve demonstrated already!” he gave a filthily wolfish growl as he inhaled her delectable scent.<br/>Robin caught his meaning and ground herself a little more purposefully against the firm flesh of his thigh.<br/>If she made her suggestion this whole ‘spontaneous it’s just the final night in the office’ thing would be ruined….and maybe that was all he wanted?<br/>But he was now rubbing his large, splayed palm across her backside again and almost purring into her neck in a most pleasurable manner and she had the distinct feeling that he might not object to her suggestion.</p><p>“How about you let me carry those other two over?” </p><p>She felt him stiffen….(not there!) and he pulled back to meet her gaze.<br/>“If we did that we’d have to do this again…..sometime,” he stared mesmerically, hopefully, into her eyes.</p><p>“Maybe I’ll help you settle in and unpack in your new place,” she suggested, teasing her fingers through the lush, soft hairs at his sternum; the same crop of hairs that she’d spent many an hour day dreaming about when his buttons had popped open towards the end of a day spent hunched over his desk….or when he’d just forgotten to fasten them when he emerged from this very attic flat smelling of shower gel and with the curls at his neck still dark and damp.<br/>His hum of appreciation and agreement reverberated through her as he dragged her body closer.</p><p>“I like that idea….very much….and before you say anything not just because I hate unpacking!” </p><p>They fell into an easy and relaxed tangle of limbs beneath the covers.</p><p>Robin drifted into a deep sleep in his arms. <br/>He felt like he was floating and looking down upon them - although granted he wouldn’t get the best view owing to the sloped and low ceiling height! - and despite over a year of being able to act and not doing so, and beating himself up about how weird and ‘not a chance in hell’ this all would be, he had to admit that it just felt…...good.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A modern couple</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Post coital/morning after fluffiness</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I like the idea of Strike trying to be 'down wid da kids' and knowing about combined names, but not managing to think up the 'right' one!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Strike woke up in familiar surroundings but with all manner of sensory factors flashing through his memory. <br/>There was the undeniable tingle in his groin and lower back that let him know he’d fucked, and the scent of feminine sex ingrained on his beard as he rubbed his splayed palm raspily across the stubble. <br/>His pillows and covers were rumpled and flashes of amber hair splayed across them complete with the aroma of Narciso in his nostrils cemented the fact that he’d definitely nailed Robin last night.</p><p>But he was now alone in his bed.<br/>He scanned the room and replaced the crest fallen disappointment he felt at the lack of her soft pliant body next to him with a little flutter of excitement…..those were definitely not his knickers on the floor!</p><p>He was dimly aware that he’d dropped a used condom onto the floor at some point the previous evening, but he had no idea which side of the bed. <br/>He recalled that he’d fucked her from behind and gave the masculine equivalent of one of the little weird squeal things that Ilsa did whenever she was excited into his pillow.</p><p>He gave a brusque sniff; the case of the misplaced condom piqued his investigative interest and he rolled to the nearest side, peering onto the floor before scrambling across the mattress to repeat the process on the other side where he grinned at the sight of the knotted, rather well filled condom. He considered disposing of it but realised he had already packed the items from his bedside cabinet, including a box of tissues which he knew he’d transferred onto the kitchen table.</p><p>The question of where Robin was nagged at his mind - she wasn’t in the bathroom by the sound of it, and there was bugger all left in his kitchen, he’d packed it all days ago and been living off take aways and tea made down in the office.<br/>Further memories of the previous evening flashed through his mind - the appearance and subsequent departure of Charlotte; his shouted declaration which apparently Robin had overheard; Robin’s appearance in the office amidst the chaos Charlotte had caused and how that had made him think back to their first encounter; then everything else…..passion and sexual fulfilment followed by an easiness that he’d assumed would evaporate if they took things to another level.</p><p>But she’d suggested them doing it again….he was certain of it….and he owed her a couple of orgasms!</p><p>A semi familiar creak on the stairs made him sit up on his elbows, the crumpled duvet falling to below his pecs.<br/>A soft padding of bare feet and then, despite no further light entering the room, it was as if the sun had come from behind a cloud.</p><p>Robin was standing in the doorway, completely naked except for the fluffy, festive headband he’d been so enamoured with the previous evening and carrying two mismatched, steaming mugs.</p><p>He inhaled sharply and considered how Charlotte’s behaviour the previous evening had made him think back to that moment when she’d been so effective in reassuring his battered ego…..but that had been a lifetime ago.<br/>That had been when he had feared never finding anyone who would want him in his bruised and incomplete state.<br/>And yet Charlotte’s attempt to recreate the moment from their past had left him unmoved….whereas Robin’s unknowing re-enactment was stirring all manner of emotions.</p><p>His cock was twitching to appreciation; his lips he knew were curling into a smile and his heart felt like it was bursting through his ribcage. This was a new lifetime for him!</p><p>“Morning,” she stated, and flashed him a soft, glorious smile which he wanted to be the first thing he saw every day, from now until he shuffled off this earth.</p><p>She came over to him and placed one mug down on the tatty cabinet beside him…..a perfectly brewed mug of tea!<br/>He sighed and stroked his fingertips around her softly curved belly button and gave a throaty whimper.</p><p>“I could get used to this,” and they simply looked at each other and smiled for several moments, each lost in thoughts that for now could remain in their own heads.<br/>Robin blew across her mug and sipped her tea.</p><p>“Well, given the fact that Shanker is arriving in about three hours with a van and last night we didn’t manage to get any of this packing done I think you might have to settle for drinking that then getting up!” she grinned.</p><p>He gave a wrinkle nosed hum, “Can I have another flash of your arse while you get dressed?” he asked.</p><p>She giggled - this was nice; this was easy and fun.</p><p>“You can have an arse flash…..but I want wet Corm in the shower!” she smirked and stuck the tip of her tongue out, flashing her eyebrows at his which had arched up onto his bed soft brow.</p><p>“OK, deal…...but you’d better make it a decent, nice slow arse flash!” he instructed, pointing his finger at her from around his mug. “And if you fancied helping out lathering me up in the shower….so be it!”</p><p>Robin placed her mug down next to him on the cabinet and squirmed up to sit across his lap, a happy and contented grunt coming from his chest as a combination of hot tea and smooth, soft, sweet smelling Robin filled his senses.</p><p>“You know I’ve wanted this for ages don’t you,” she murmured, stroking her fingers across the muscles in his shoulder and humming as one of his hands nestled her closer to his body, and warmth.</p><p>He pressed a soft kiss to Robin’s scalp and breathed deeply, “I didn’t KNOW….I hoped,” his voice was so husky and deep, it was almost like a vibration running through her.</p><p>She twisted and pulled back to find his eyes, “So….is this the start of something then….for us?”</p><p>His eyes softened and crinkled, “Well, it’s the end of one era….here, Denmark Street…...but yeah…..the start of I don’t know...Team Roboran, or Cormobin…..maybe Ellatrike? I don’t know, aren’t modern couples supposed to have one of those combined name thingies?”</p><p>Robin giggled on his lap, feeling festive and happy.<br/>“Are we a modern couple?” she asked, wrinkling her nose and pouting in a manner that almost demanded kissing.</p><p>He sniffed briskly and allowed his eyes to drift to the wall, “Well, neither of us will ever be able to afford a mortgage on a property in London, our mental health is fucked to hell and we ironically own more reusable bags than we could ever need…..so I reckon that makes us modern….and we’re a couple….right?”<br/>He ended the statement by looking directly at her, his off centred mouth forming one of his trademark smirks.</p><p>“I think we are…... I think Team Strellacot is going places,” she pursed her lips, inviting the kiss he willingly delivered.</p><p>“Going places indeed….literally, so come on, SOMEONE distracted me from my careful packing schedule last night….I’ve got stuff to do,” and he jiggled his thighs making Robin squeal and get up, rather inelegantly. “Although…..if you keep that up I’ll abandon the packing completely!”</p><p>The sight of Robin bending over and wriggling her way into her deep red knickers resulted in him snorting and shaking his head like a wild bull while Robin strung the activity out a little for both of their entertainment.</p><p>“Well, we could always make less to pack,” she stated, and fingered the box of condoms which were still on the bedside cabinet, eyeing the tent beneath the bed covers at his hips.</p><p>He gave a deeply animalistic growl before launching towards her and grappling her on top of him, “I love how your mind works Ellacott!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Christmas.....hope you have enjoyed this and I hope it ticked a few of your personal faves. X x</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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